Who’s in charge? Let’s not be ignorant

Don’t jump into the ignorance pool and float along thinking to somehow just soak up knowledge.

With the recent shake-ups in the White House, it gives the average American reason to be concerned about the stability of the administration. Thus far, the Trump campaign and subsequent presidency has been fraught with more drama than a Telemundo soap opera. And there seems to be no end in sight…at least for the next three and a half years.

It is difficult to imagine a company or business, which, of course, Mr. Trump is the supposed genius at running, being managed as poorly as this White House. And leaves one with the stark reality that this is what happens when we move away from the pure Constitutional Republic form of government that our Founders intended. What is clear, is that the focus of government officials has shifted from the people’s business and welfare, to the spotlight for themselves.

Even a cursory look at the recent debacle of the entire Obamacare repeal and replace effort reveals that Congress is not so much about actual governance and law as it is about grandstanding and playing a part. Many times, to enrich or benefit the player either politically or monetarily. When a Senator cries for seven years about repealing the healthcare act, which has hamstrung our country economically and left so many without the means to afford insurance, and then reneges on his or her promises and stymies the chance to affect progress towards that goal, it speaks more loudly than all the speeches and appeals and soundbites ever could. (Looking at you, McCain) And the president, the leader of the party who currently presides over the White House, the House and the Senate, is so busy reveling in his victory (eight months ago!) that he simply dismisses this failure with the trite comment, “Meh, you can’t have everything.” To behave and profess so cavalierly a sentiment like this, tells the average American what many already know. Government has become nothing but a show. A reality show. From the White House, down to many local small-town mayors. The corruption of money and power has no resemblance to our American values and ideals. It is a travesty and a tragedy.

So, the question now is what do we, as concerned citizens and patriots do? What CAN we do? We go back to our roots. We return to the fundamentals. We look to the Founders and read their words and their follow their advice. The sad statistics are this: in 2011, ABC news asked 1000 people this simple question: “What is the supreme law of the land?” 70% did not know it was the Constitution. Further, 61% percent didn’t know that the length of a U.S. senator’s term is six years, 63 percent didn’t know the number of Supreme Court justices on the bench, and 86 percent didn’t know that 435 members fill the U.S. House of Representatives. Yet, 73% believe they know “some” or a “great deal” of the Constitution’s contents. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-enthusiasm-surveys-find-ignorance-us-constitution/story?id=13206667

How do we, as a nation, fix this? First, don’t be THAT person. Don’t jump into the ignorance pool and float along thinking to somehow just soak up knowledge. Read and understand the Constitution. Read and understand the Declaration of Independence. Read and understand the Federalist Papers. We must educate ourselves and take control back from the career politicians who want to expand government and line their pockets with our hard-earned dollar. The power must be returned to the people and out of the hands of those who care little for the country when faced with their own career survival. If we are to stop being slaves to the corruption in Washington, we must rise and be brave enough to say, “Enough!” We shouldn’t ever have to look to the Capitol of this great country and ask, “Who’s in charge?” The answer should be clear and unmistakable. We, the People Are!

Fred Savage owns Deadpool in Once Upon a Deadpool trailer

I’ll admit, I didn’t even know this was a thing. When I heard about it, I assumed it was a spoof, probably put out by Ryan Reynolds to catch a few Christmas laughs. I was wrong.

Once Upon a Deadpool is a new edit of Deadpool 2 made with a PG-13 rating. Fox has been pushing for Reynolds to do a PG-13 version for over a decade, but the star has refused until now. He had two requirements. First, he Fox to donate money from the movie to a charity of Reynold’s choice. Which did he choose? A charity Fox is referring to as “Fudge Cancer,” though the charity’s real name would be better served in the R-rated version of Deadpool.

The second requirement is that Reynolds needed permission to kidnap Fred Savage.

Reynolds got both of his wishes and Once Upon a Deadpool was born. It’s due for a limited engagement next month.

Related

Legislators tell Allen West: Next version of First Step Act will cut loopholes

Last week, a handful of conservatives, including Lt. Col. Allen West and Conservative Review’s Daniel Horowitz, went after the bipartisan First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill that has the backing of the President and many conservative lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Our complaint: why would the GOP support a bill that releases violent criminals and illegal immigrants?

According to legislative proponents of the bill, protections and benefits for both of these groups of felons have been eliminated in the next version of the bill that will reach the Senate floor. They reached out to West over the weekend to let them know they heard the concerns and are addressing them.

The First Step Act is supported by many conservatives and law enforcement groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National District Attorneys Association. There are other proposals offered by those on the far left under the same banner of “criminal justice reform” that would release people from prison without regard to the danger they pose, including illegal immigrants and serious violent offenders. We must remember that there are some folks who are, well, as the ol’ folks would say, “just bad.” Additionally, some left-wing professors even propose abolishing all prisons partly based on their notion that the system is racist in nature. Hmm, I tend to believe that skin color or race has nothing to do with a person deciding to break the law. I just do not want us to go down the path of having criminals believe that there are no consequences, ramifications, for their actions and behaviors.

The legislators echoed our concerns and said the version that is currently available doesn’t reflect the changes that cut the loopholes. They say it will be impossible for these two groups – serious violent offenders and criminal illegal immigrants – to get the benefits of the bill. Many felons will be released early. Future felons will be given lighter sentences. That makes sense for many, but by no means should anyone in either of the two most dangerous groups receive sentence reductions, according to the letter to West.

My Take

Call me cynical, but lately I’ve changed my general rules regarding promises of politicians. It used to echo President Reagan’s stance on nuclear disarmament: “Trust but verify.” I now have to go with a more adversarial stance on political promises: “Show me proof, then we’ll talk.”

When the legislation is made available to the public, many will take a close look at it. I’ll personally be checking to see if there are any loopholes that would put violent offenders or criminal illegal immigrants back on the street sooner. If so, it’s a no-go for me.

Related

Hundreds search rubble in California for human remains

PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — The search for remains of victims of the devastating Northern California wildfire took on a new urgency Monday as rain in the forecast threatened to complicate those efforts while also bringing relief to firefighters.

Hundreds of crews and volunteers were searching the ash and rubble where homes stood before flames engulfed the Sierra foothills town of Paradise and surrounding communities, killing at least 77 people in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century.

The fire has destroyed more than 10,500 homes while burning 234 square miles (606 sq. kilometers). It was 65 percent contained.

The rain expected to arrive Wednesday could cause wet ash to flow down steep inclines in the mountainous region, forecasters said.

Rescue workers wore white coveralls, hard hats and masks as they poked through debris, searching for bone fragments before rain could wash them away or turn loose, dry ash into thick paste.

A team of 10 volunteers accompanied by a cadaver dog went from house to house in the charred landscape. Some went to homes where they had received tips that someone might have died.

They used sticks to move aside debris and focused on vehicles, bathtubs and what was left of mattresses for possible signs of victims.

When no remains were found, they spray-painted a large, orange “0″ near the house and moved on.

Robert Panak, a volunteer on a team from Napa County, said he was trying to picture each house before it burned and imagine where people might have taken shelter.

“I just think about the positives, bringing relief to the families, closure,” Panak said.

The search area is huge and the fire burned many places to the ground, creating a landscape unique to many search-and- rescue personnel, said Joe Moses, a commander with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, who is helping oversee the effort.

“Here we’re looking for very small parts and pieces, and so we have to be very diligent and systematic,” he said Friday.

Sheriff Kory Honea said it was possible that the exact death toll from the blaze would never be known. He also questioned whether the search for remains could be completed by midweek when the rain is forecast.

“As much as I wish that we could get through all of this before the rains come, I don’t know if that’s possible,” he said.

About 1,000 names remain on a list of people unaccounted for more than a week after the fire began in Butte County about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north of San Francisco.

Authorities don’t believe all those on the list are missing and the number dropped by 300 on Sunday as more people were located or got in touch to say they weren’t missing.

On Sunday afternoon, more than 50 people gathered at a memorial for the victims at First Christian Church in Chico, where a banner on the altar read, “We will rise from the ashes.”

People hugged and shed tears as Pastor Jesse Kearns recited a prayer for firefighters, rescuers and search teams: “We ask for continued strength as they are growing weary right now,” Kearns said.

Paul Stavish, who retired three months ago from a Silicon Valley tech job and moved to Paradise, placed a battery-powered votive candle on the altar as a woman played piano and sang “Amazing Grace.”

Stavish, his wife and three dogs escaped the fire, but their house is gone. He said he was thinking of the dead and mourning for the warm, tight-knit community.

“This is not just a few houses getting burned,” he said. “The whole town is gone.”